We love hearing from our alumni!
Whether you’ve reached a career milestone, started a new venture, made an impact in your community, or celebrated a personal achievement, your story inspires current and future Knights. Share your accomplishments with us so we can celebrate your success and highlight the many ways Wartburg alumni make a difference in the world.
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All Class Years
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Dorothy Boeckenheuer Keith ’53
Dorothy Ann [Boeckenheuer] Keith, lifelong educator, passed away on November 1, 2025, at Creekside in Grundy Center. Dorothy was born January 16, 1934 in Hawkeye, Iowa to Carl and Clara [Braun] Boeckenheuer. She graduated from Hawkeye High in 1951, and attended Wartburg College, obtaining her teaching certificate in 1953. She began her teaching career in…
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Arlene Schnaidt Orth ’61
Arlene Orth, 89, of Clarksville died on Thursday, October 30, 2025, at UnityPoint Health – Allen Memorial in Waterloo. Arlene Karoline Orth was born on December 14, 1935, the daughter of Rudolph and Anna (Heth) Schnaidt in Beulah, ND. She graduated from Beulah High School in 1953. She later attended Wartburg College for two years…
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Roderick Evans ’92
Roderick (Rod) Lynn Evans 55 of Des Moines, Iowa passed away October 27, 2025, at UnityPoint Des Moines Hospital. He was born on February 12th, 1970, to Donald Evans and Susan (Moore) Lewiston at Mercy Hospital Des Moines, IA. Rod graduated from Norwalk High School, Class of 1988. Following graduation, he continued his education at…
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Kyle Elliott Fidler ’83
Kyle Elliott Fidler April 27, 1960 — October 25, 2025 With heavy hearts, we announce the passing of Kyle Rae Elliott Fidler, who departed this life peacefully at home on October 25, 2025, surrounded by her loving family, after a courageous year-long battle with cancer. Kyle was a devoted wife, mother, daughter, sister, aunt, and…
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Dorothy Obermeyer Dykman ’49
After a blessedly long and beautiful life, Dorothy Berniece Obermeyer Dykman met the God she had long worshiped, and was welcomed into eternal life on October 25, 2025. Dorothy was born in Norfolk, Nebraska on the 25th of May, 1929, to Emma and Reverend George Obermeyer. She was raised in a close-knit German Lutheran family,…
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Olinda Deines Patzer ’58
Olinda Louise Patzer (Deines) July 12, 1936 — October 24, 2025 Our beloved wife, mother and grandmother, Olinda Louise Patzer (Deines), passed away peacefully at home in Cedaredge, Colorado on October 24, 2025. She was 89 years old. Olinda was the heart of our home and family. She was married for 57 years to her…
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Norma Boyd Alfrejd ’62
Norma Jean Alfrejd (nee Boyd), 84, passed away peacefully on October 22, 2025 with family at her side. Norma was born in Nevada, Missouri to Maybelle Boyd Rabon (nee Warner) and William Emmett Boyd. Her father passed when she was very young. Her mother would re-marry, Estel Rabon. She was the eldest of three…
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Zoe Worple ’25
Zoe Worple ’25, New Hampton, is a brain injury specialist at Community NeuroRehab, Des Moines.
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Dr. Robert Farner ’52
Robert L. “Doc” Farner, MD passed away on Sunday, October 19, 2025, at Luther Oaks in Bloomington, IL. He was 95. Robert Lewis Farner was born to Fred (Fritz) and Marie Vallazza Farner on February 4, 1930. He grew up on a farm near Toluca, IL. He started his educational journey by attending Center School,…
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Herbert Hildebrandt ’52
Obituary for Herbert William Hildebrandt As usual…I arrived as a baby, a boy in January 1931, and ultimately the door closed in October 2025. I deeply tasted the world, anchored my life on a sea of love with Dee (nee Delores Bartels of Waseca, Minnesota), my wife of 65+ years who died in August 2018.…
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Sara Webb ’24
Sara Webb ’24, Tipton, is a graduate student in veterinary medicine at the Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Ames.
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Jordan Swiatkowski ’24
Jordan Swiatkowski ’24, Stewartville, Minn., is a mental health practitioner at Fernbrook Family Center, Rochester
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Anna Ohman ’24
Anna Ohman ’24, Winterset, is a graduate student in applied economics and economic systems at the University of Belgrade/Freie Universität Berlin.
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Robert Khoury ’24
Robert Khoury ’24, Waverly, is a researcher at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.
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Quentin Kelso ’24
Quentin Kelso ’24, Keokuk, is an electrical engineer at Vermeer, Pella.
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Laura Hovenga ’24
Laura Hovenga ’24, Grinnell, is a graduate student in microbiology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
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Lauryn Henderson ’24
Lauryn Henderson ’24, Independence, is a graduate student in communication and media at the University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, and a bookkeeping and marketing specialist at Roberts & Eddy P.C.
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Kaitlyn Hall ’24
Kaitlyn Hall ’24, Kenosha, Wis., is an autism therapy behavior technician at Sonnenberg Consultants.
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Olivia Donlea ’24
Olivia Donlea ’24, Winthrop, is a graduate student in occupational therapy at the College of St. Scholastica, Duluth, Minn.
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James Devine ’24
James Devine ’24, Council Bluffs, is a graduate student in business at Oglethorpe University, Brookhaven, Ga.
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Dr. Emilie Noel Zehr ‘73
Emilie S. Zehr, 73 a resident of Bondurant, Iowa, died peacefully on Thursday August 1, 2024 at Methodist Hospital in Rochester, MN. She was surrounded by her loving family at the time of her passing, following a courageous battle with cancer. Emilie Susanna Noel was born January 22, 1951 in Clinton, IA; the eldest of…
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Harold Heeren ‘64
Harold Henry Heeren, 82, of Caledonia, died peacefully Wednesday, July 31, 2024, in his home surrounded by his loving family after a long battle with cancer. He was born June 27, 1942, in Milford, IL. He was the son of Elmer and Marie (Kietzman) Heeren. Harold attended Wartburg College and graduated from the University of…
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Harold Rindels ‘71
It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Harold Rindels on July 31st, 2024 in Solon, Ohio. Harold (Hal/Butch) was born February 20th, 1949 in Grundy Center, Iowa. Hal taught Math upon graduation from Wartburg College prior to a long and successful career in the insurance industry. He enjoyed the music of…
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Racheal Gangestad Davis ‘59
L. Racheal Gangestad Amelung Davis, 87, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, passed away on Saturday, July 27, 2024, at the Dennis and Donna Oldorf Hospice House in Hiawatha, Iowa. Racheal was born August 24, 1936, in Fort Dodge, Iowa, the daughter of Leon and Ruth (Dawes) Gangestad. She was baptized, confirmed, and married in St. Olaf…
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Gary “Gari” Green ‘71
Gary “Gari” Green of Kenosha, Wisconsin, passed away on Thursday, July 25, 2024, at the age of 74. Gari was born on October 1, 1949, in Pontiac, IL, the eldest child of Harry and Louise (Reese) Green. After graduating from Minonk-Dana-Rutland High School in 1967, Gari attended Wartburg College and went on to work at…
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Robert Cummings ‘75
On July 16, 2024, Robert “Bob” Glen Cummings, 71, passed away suddenly at his home in North Pole. Born on July 31, 1952, in East Chicago, Indiana, Bob lived a long and fulfilling life surrounded by family, friends and meaningful work. With family roots in Kentucky, Robert’s parents Joe and Emma chose to raise him…
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Ruth Wetherell Swanson ‘52
Ruth Ellen Swanson was born February 26, 1930, in Shumway, Illinois and died on July 12, 2024, in Monona, Iowa. She was born to Seth and Alma (Laue) Wetherell and baptized at Trinity Lutheran. Ruth attended school in Shumway, Illinois and graduated from Beecher City High School in Beecher City, Illinois. She graduated from Wartburg…
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Dorlin Moeller ‘58
Dorlin James “DJ” Moeller age 87 of Fairbank passed away Wednesday, July 10, 2024 at Unity Point Allen Memorial Hospital in Waterloo. Dorlin was born January 14, 1937 in rural Bremer county the son of Herman and Lydia (Matthias) Moeller. He grew up on the family farm in rural Fairbank, he attended and graduated from…
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Cheryl Sorensen Matthias ‘65
Cheryl Anne Matthias, age 81, of Manitowoc, Wisconsin, passed away peacefully on July 10, 2024. Born on June 23, 1943, in Oelwein, Iowa, to Soren and Vermilia Sorensen, Cheryl lived a life dedicated to education, counseling, and her family. Cheryl is survived by her loving husband, Robert Matthias; her children, Tanya (Ed Kennedy) Matthias and…
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Susan SmolikHagen ‘93
Susan Mae Smolik was born in Osage, Iowa in October of 1970. Her dad was working in the field when her mom went into labor, so her mom had to fetch him. He rushed her to the hospital and then went down the street to his brother’s to wash up. He came back 15 minutes…
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Rev. Charles Layton ‘81
Charles Vern Layton September 30, 1958 — July 7, 2024 Rev. Charles Vern Layton (65) of Cedar Rapids. Christ called on St. Peter three times to feed his sheep before Peter got the message. With a BA from Wartburg College, Chuck Layton first planned to teach singing with his clear, strong voice. He loved singing…
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Dr. Merwin Dieckmann ’50
Merwin Richard Dieckmann, MD, 95, of Macon, formerly of Waterloo, Iowa, passed away peacefully on July 6, 2024. Merwin was born November 30, 1928 in Clarksville, Iowa to the late Louis F. and Esther Clara Nordmeyer Dieckmann. The family later moved to Waterloo in 1941. Merwin graduated from West Waterloo High School in 1946. At…
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Jennifer Greenley Downing ‘74
Jennifer A. Downing (nee Greenley), 72, of Mount Laurel, NJ, passed away on July 2, 2024 surrounded by her family at Virtua Hospital in Marlton, NJ.Jen was born on April 13, 1952 in Des Moines, Iowa to parents Jack & Ethelmae (nee Johnson) Greenley. After Jen graduated from Cedar Falls High School in 1970, she continued…
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Barbara Gollnick Henkel ‘59
Barbara M. Henkel, age 86, of Hawthorn Woods, IL, passed away on June 29, 2024. Barbara was born on Sept 3, 1937 to Howard and Mabel Gollnick in Cedarburg, WI. In 1955 Barbara graduated from Cedarburg High School and went on to study Art and Music Education at Wartburg College. She graduated from the University of…
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Ruth Clark Schaff ‘56
Ruth Schaff September 27, 1934 – June 25, 2024 Ruth Schaff (nee Clark), beloved woman of faith, age 89 of Omaha, Nebraska, went home to be with the Lord, on June 25, 2024. Born in Peoria, IL in 1934, Ruth was a graduate of Wartburg College in Waverly, IA, where she earned a degree in…
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Glenyce Schneider Scherer ‘56
Glenyce M. Scherer (nee Schneider) died June 24, 2024, in Chanhassen, MN. Glenyce was born January 7, 1936, to Paul and Lydia Schneider of Waterloo, IA. She attended Wartburg College in Waverly, IA, after which her adventurous spirit drew her to California to teach. On January 1, 1959, she married David Scherer and together they…
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Kay Johannsen Armstrong ‘61
Kay Ann Armstrong (nee Johannsen), 84, of Meramec Bluffs Assisted Living in Ballwin, Missouri died Saturday, June 22, 2024. She was born in Clinton, Iowa and spent her youth in the farming community of Welton, Iowa where she graduated class valedictorian from Welton High School in 1957. Kay spent two years at Wartburg College in…
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Larry Ray ‘67
Larry Dean Ray, 79, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa passed away on Thursday, June 20, 2024, at Lantern Park Nursing & Rehab Center in Coralville, Iowa. Larry Dean Ray was born on October 10th, 1944, at John McDonald Hospital, in Monticello, Iowa. He was the son of Robert and Nellie (Nagle) Ray. He graduated from Monticello…
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Rev. Myrin Bentz ‘57
Rev. Myrin Bentz passed away on June 19, 2024 in The Dalles, Oregon. Myrin was born November 10, 1935 and was 88 at the time of his passing. All obituary information has been taken from the funeral home, newspaper or other online resource.
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Dale Hinrichs ‘69
Darrel Walter Hinrichs December 2, 1946 – June 13, 2024 Darrel Walter Hinrichs, 77, of Blair WI, and formerly of Waverly, IA died Thursday, June 13 at his home. Darrel was born December 2, 1946 in Waverly, Iowa, the son of Walter and Margaret (Wedemeier) Hinrichs. He grew up on the family farm and attended high school…